About Anil Polat

I'm the blogger and computer security engineer who writes foXnoMad while on a journey to visit every country in the world. I'll show you the tips, tricks, and tech you can use to travel smarter. Read More

Traveling all over the world and funding your journey with a travel blog is a personal dream turned reality but one that also turns exploration into an occupation.

The confused looks of other travelers, friends, and other folks I meet on the road when I say travel blogging around the world requires 45-50 hours of my time a week or when I have to decline spontaneous invitations to explore the Egyptian desert has made apparent to me several misconceptions about the digital nomad lifestyle – of the travel blogging variety.

It’s a thrill to have your working passion follow you around the world to countries, peoples, and places that you dreamed about as a child. But there’s a lot of work behind it in most cases – here’s your look a bit behind the scenes of a traveling digital nomad like myself and many others.

Truth: Working Constantly, So To Speak

As I mentioned above, I work on this site, foXnoMad, and my other 3 an average of 40+ hours per week. That includes laptop time I spend writing, responding to emails, and cooking up various online projects like my ebooks. That’s “office” time – but if you include actually traveling – fundamental tasks like taking photos, hopping flights, and the like; then I’m on the job nearly all the time.

The bare minimum I can fall to is about 25 hours of the essentials – writing posts while responding to comments and priority emails.

It’s all work – but I hate calling it that – since it’s not completely that or the opposite…but both.

Truth: Tied To The Internet

I’m a terrible planner and though I structure my individual days around minuscule routines, I prefer my future to be a series of loose ideas and destinations that coalesce from my imagination into reality moments before I make a travel decision.

Despite my love of spontaneity however, I’m tied to a powerful force in the universe. The Internet. [I’m in fact writing this from JFK Airport in New York right now.] I have to plan my travels around the world wide web before I can make a major move in the physical world. Maps of wireless connections thorough searches for hostels with wifi extending to individual rooms, and planning around posts dictates my biggest restriction.

That’s not to say that I can’t or don’t go places where there isn’t a radio wave floating nearby, just that I’ve got to schedule and prepare before I do. There are few digital nomads that can be far from the web for long since there’s usually nobody else to take care of day-to-day online tasks. I’ll go hiking in the hills of West Virginia – so long as I get my digital house in order first.

Truth: Planning Around Planes, Prices, And Places

Generally digital nomads who travel frequently are following inexpensive flights based on some rough pattern of travel goals, human connections around the world, and inexpensive air routes. Travels have a natural cycle of speeding up and slowing down, repeating as either becomes routine or a pace that requires a change to be enjoyable.

Misconception: My Articles Are Synchronous With Where I Am Right Now

I tend to travel faster than I write and have a lot of say about most of the countries, cities, and towns I visit keeping my posts well behind my current location. I’m not currently in Greece – the last place I wrote about . No, that was April I believe, as I’m still making my way through the Bulgarian foods I ate in March.

Travel faster and write about more places – travel less and I have more to write about a single place. Lots of material is a good problem to have, the world is an incredibly fascinating place.

Consequently my posts here are often weeks or months behind my actual location. I try to weave through several ones at a time to maintain variety. In case you were wondering, I’m in Spain right now and the best ways to keep up with where I actually am are Facebook, Twitter, and now fourquare or Gowalla.

Misconception: I’m Rich, Living Off Of Secret Funding, Or That You Can’t Do The Same

Hang out with me for more than a few days and you’ll quickly learn every t-shirt in my wardrobe and see my two year-old sneakers everyday. I’m not poor or a wealthy eccentric and hardly resemble either; simply efficient. For myself and most digital nomads, there isn’t a secret Swiss bank account fueling our jet engines but hard work for the fruits and follies any business encounters.

The difference is that business headquarters along with employee can be in Vancouver, Washington DC, or Valencia all in the same week.

In general, you can significantly change reduce your daily costs by living in cheap places and traveling isn’t nearly as expensive as most people think. Don’t look at long-term traveling as the product of financial excess but rather the result of financial efficiency. There are so many people who take the leap and overcome the obstacles to travel the world on RTW trips, gap years, career breaks, or some other personal blend of traveling the way they want. You can too. There is no one way, right way, or secret Swiss bank account number you need to find.

Truth: Good, The Bad, It’s Fun

The one truth that just about everyone gets right is that traveling is fun and seeing the world is an incredible privilege. Being able to focus my particular passions to make it happen, share some of what I’ve learned from the world, and connecting with others who love traveling (like you!) is rewarding; whether or not I’m lost in Turkey or sitting the hours away in front of a laptop.

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Another great and informative post. So many people really don’t know what travel blogger’s do and how they maintain a living. You have given a insight of the life of a busy hard working blogger. Though you work you don’t consider it work because you love what you are doing. Some people just don’t want to work at all and I think that is the bigger problem.

Hey Anil, I am just coming to learn these truths. Initially I was under the impression that..well, I had romanticized travel blogging a little too much. Now, 3 months into travel blogging I am beginning to understand how much work it actually takes. However, I am not deterred and in fact feel more resolved than ever. Great article, right on point.
Cheers,
Safe travels,
Leif

That’s a good attitude to have Leif and hard work is a philosophy that usually leads to success when mixed with creativity. For me personally I like the effort that goes into blogging as well. If it were the 4 hour work week, well, I’d fill up the rest of the week with some other kind of work

Well said Anil, totally agree on all points.
Our life as professional travelers–not to mention writer, journalist, photographer and blogger–is not what most people expect it to be. Yes, we are living our dream, currently well more than 4 years into our Trans-Americas Journey, but it is not a looong vacation as most people imagine. I would say we average between the two of us a total of more than 80 hours per week, sometimes much more. Yes we do (very) occasionally unplug usually by necessity based on location and not choice, but there are no vacations or even weekends. Our life revolves around driving, seeing things and meeting people, but at the end of the day its long hours in our room working, sometimes when there is an assignment for days on end.
That said, we are living life on our terms, and based on our design. It’s not easy and it’s certainly not for everyone, especially when they learn the reality of it, but we wouldn’t trade it for anything…even with all the “office” time required. Especially since our office, though not always comfortable is not a cubicle and is always different.

I am new to the world of travel blogging, and it is something I am doing really for myself – if anyone else happens to read it, then great. As a result, I can’t imagine ever making an income off of it, though how fabulous it would be if that occured!

I have, however, learnt so much from travel bloggers already. My parents travel style is all-inclusive packages to resorts in major tourist destinations, and even on my own solo trip to the USA last year I stayed exclusively in hotel rooms.

I am now planning a Euro trip, and do believe I will be glam-packing along the way. It is exciting to read where everyone else is/has been and what they are/were doing…oh and that hostels do not necessarily mean I will be murdered!

That’s how it began for me; though the first comment I got from a complete stranger turned around my blogging a bit. Making a living around blogging is certainly the tough path, but it can be a source of good side travel income if focused that way.

Hi Pete, I really appreciate that and honored I can be a small part of your inspiration as you travel. As for the 4 blogs, the work required for each new one is exponential! Lot of late nights…but then again lots of new cities to enjoy those nights in

If you know anyone who would also be interested in the camera person position feel free to have them get in touch with me

I gotta tell you – this is exactly why I DON’T want to be a professional travel blogger. Back when I was freelancing I had less of a life than when I worked full-time. Granted, I enjoyed the work a little more but having nights and weekends free is surprisingly worth it.

That said, I’m not traveling. I moved semi-permanently and I blog about that. So making a little money to support my part-time super fun job chronicling my exploits in getting to know this new city? THAT I can live with

I’m pretty much in your camp, though I teeter on the edge. And then I think about how much I adore having a home base (in fact, I think I shall refer to it as such in the future) and I think, sure a month or two at a time, and then, back to “home base.” Though it’s not so much about workload as it is just loving being in one place!

We’re new to the digital nomad lifestyle and still have a lot to learn. Since my husband and I are keeping our travels in North America (for now) we have found investing in a mobile hotspot has been very beneficial. Thanks for your thoughts and insights onthe subject!

I was glad to read that you are months behind with posts, and they dont reflect your current location. In the 5 months I’ve been travelling, I haven’t posted at all, but I have worked on several drafts. I’ve kept an offline journal (which was stolen), and now just keep daily sentences summarising where I was on that day… to help job my memory later.

With all the time I spend booking ahead, planning ahead, and just having fun; I dont even get to read emails, blogs, or write my own that often.

My foursquare, twitter and facebook pages would’ve told you that
Madrid, Spain: had to make a quick stop to get a new passport.

Not sure where I’m off to next. Definitely not north of here. Getting too cold.

Nice work on the map though. You get the latest RSS from your foursquare, or are you manually updating? I’ve been looking at FourSquare plugins, but I’m not totally satisfied, since I don’t always use FourSquare.

The map works using a small script I wrote that pushes the latest RSS from foursquare to Google Maps; but it doesn’t always work as Google is currently having issues with it’s KML file import function. Once they get that resolved I can perhaps release a more public script as a WordPress plugin.

Everyone above me has said it all, but I wanted to add Great Post! I love the way you explained it. It is a common misconception that its all play and no work. To travel blog seriously as a career and not a hobby takes commitment and hard work, but like you said, it’s not really work to us because we love every minute of it too!

Thank you Yes, it’s funny to see people’s faces drop when I say I can’t meet up in some cool city because I’ve got to work. I’m sure you two get that as well but I love the travel and blogging as well. Just wouldn’t feel right one without the other

Great entry, I haven’t taken the full dive into the nomadic lifestyle as I’m still in university and find time to travel when I’m on break. Even with gaps in my travel schedule where I return to “normal” life, I still find myself writing about places from months behind as well as I remember and recall more and more about the adventures.

A full RTW trip or travel for a year would be so intense and this post just reinforces, while it seems like such a big and expensive and dangerous leap, that if I’m committed to working hard that it can work out really well!

Anil, it’s always our dream (with my wife) to travel around the world indefinitely, and your post is really an inspiring one. We have a thought of it, and we quickly wipe it off our mind as we think it’s almost impossible for us, I think we have to set our clear goal, and seeing you in action, both of us are thrilled bro… it seems something we have to re-adjust again in our mind

I was just about to start my comment and then realised Linda (above) said exactly the same thing. I was a teacher in the UK and never got any recognition for the hours I worked. As far as friends (and all my family) were concerned, I worked part-time. Burn out ensued, we moved to Turkey and then hey, we started a blog…and as far as friends and family are concerned…Maybe we just like it that way. We’ll never know how you keep 4 blogs on the go (one is more than enough headache and love for us) but we’re glad they’re around!
Julia

You remind me of things friends who are teachers have said over the years! So many people think that teachers have short days and long vacations, not realizing the work that goes on when the school gates are shut!

Excellent post. You don’t have a need to explain yourself, but perhaps you will make some hopefuls think twice about what they want to do. I admire folk who take sabbaticals to travel, but sometimes I worry that all this talk about it may make people who aren’t cut out for long term travel (and not everyone is) mess up their lives.

I think it’s matter of planning in advance in the case of sabbaticals. As for travel blogging, that requires a completely separate business strategy. However, I encourage everyone who wants to, to travel (in their own way) and find a way to make it possible – there are many, many who will never get that chance or the odds are immeasurably stacked against them.

This is so true Anil. One thing I gained from being with so many other travel bloggers at TBEX is more confidence to respond “travel blogger” when people ask me what I do. I usually get such blank stares or incredulity that this is a real thing or takes much time. Great to meet you in Vancouver!

I feel like the lamest person ever when I tell friends I have to work or switch around travel arrangements to do so! I guess it can often seem like I’m trying to get out of an engagement when I just really have things to take care of online! I’m sure you often get in that position too…

Like you, I am working almost all the time. Everyone thinks this is an exotic dream job but no one can possibly understand the kind of work involved. During the day I either travel from place to place or tour the places where I’ve landed. I average 200-300 photos a day and just sorting and cataloging them all each day takes up an immense amount of time. Then I have to decide which images to use and resize them and upload to SmugMug. And then there is the time consuming task of editing and uploading videos. All that, before I can write a single word.

But wait, there’s all the social media obligations that you mention (Twitter, Facebook, etc) that take up so much time, and site design, and new blog technology to learn about, and Search Engine Optimization. With days devoted to touring, meeting people, interviewing and such, the nights are the only time to do the rest and it’s not unusual to work through most of the night.

The potential danger of all this is burnout. For years I suffered burnout in the corporate world until, five years ago, I finally walked away from it all to pursue the life of travel, writing that I love. Now my biggest fear is that this life will become just as stressful. I love what I do and I never want that to change, so Ive been making modifications to the lifestyle. I’m traveling slower and, like you, writing about places well after I visit them. I’m also putting my writing first before social media. And lastly, I’m spending more time each year each year in Nepal, which has become a home to me, where I an recover and wind down between trips.

This is such an evolving industry that we never know what to expect from week to week but I know that you, also love what you do and it comes through in everything you do. I especially appreciate this post, which helps dispel the pervasive belief that all of us are trust fund babies. Most of us are not; we struggle to stay on the road and can’t always be sure where the next income will appear. Hopefully, knowing this will make people appreciate even more the sacrifices we make to bring the world to them.

It’s being travel writer, photographer, marketer, social media department, and IT staff all in one. So many eggs in the basket and prioritizing them is a task that’s not always easy when each of them shift in priority often. (Tech problems are a great example of this.)

I’ve been working on becoming more efficient as well, and think I might implement some radical changes and see how they work. Unorthodox solutions for unorthodox problems perhaps.

From what you’ve told me though I’m glad to hear you’ve found your rejuvenation spot in Nepal. For some reason, even though I haven’t been, the name just sounds relaxing.

Great article, Anil. And have to say, it was totally awesome to hang out with you in Vancouver last week – you’re a rockstar. If anyone can inspire me to go travel in Iraq any time soon, it was you … loved the hookah!

now that im actualy doing it, it feels like you’re working all the time and at the same time not working… love it… although i also have to say travel blogging is pure hardwork, strategic decisions, timing and luck… but really love this lifestyle, it fits my personality i guess… i also realized its not for everyone… coz it can be frustrating when you’re not seeing your desired results…

Certainly dos blur the lines between the blog, travel, and life doesn’t it! It’s not for everyone though, I agree – everyone has a unique recipe that will work for them in life (and travel) to be fulfilled. That mix just needs to be found, which is probably the most difficult obstacle.

An interesting post. I’ve been a long time reader of travel blogs, although I’m new to the travel blogging scene myself. I was wondering how many hours that the pro bloggers spend actually working and this confirms what I thought. I already find it hard to find time to keep up with my blog while balancing my day job and everything else. It’s far from easy, but if you love it then it’s all worth while. Cheers

Hi Anil, I wonder if people have misconceptions about the “travel blogging” job because its still new and exotic. Also, most (if not all) people I meet have a different idea of traveling – the one that involves all inclusive packages and resorts – so it’s natural for them to think that travel bloggers must have a swiss bank account to fund all that.

The nature of our jobs is changing so fast! I have a friend who works in social media for a large company and we were at a party once when someone asked him, “so you tweet and facebook, that your job?” Good luck trying to explain your job to your grandmother. Mine thinks that farming or manufacturing is the only true job and I can’t explain to her what I do at all. hahaha

But like any job, it boils down to this: if you want to excel at it, you better put serious work into it. Clearly, you are at the top of the game.

Hi Priyank, I agree that the inclusive packages and resorts relating to travel do give the perception that it has to be expensive, not necessarily as you know of course There are sill many people who assume that money + online means something illegal is going on, since there is a lot of crap on the Internet. Reminds me of a Chapelle Show sketch from awhile back…

Funny you should mention social media jobs, many companies now have departments for them! Things have changed in the sense that what we do so naturally as humans is going digital and business is starting to recognize that. Still though, I can’t completely get my family to understand quite what I do

My parents instilled a strong work ethic in me and aside from luck, work is the only thing that can help any of us make use of our talents (or learn new skills). I’m lucky though to have been taught that lesson..even though I can’t explain how exactly ‘work’ goes into my laptop to them!

I will be joining the traveling digital nomad club in a few weeks, and i’m very aware that it aint easy and it will require a lot of continues work to keep going. But i’m sure it beats the 9-5 life in the office in any possible way

Love the honesty of this post Anil. Traveling is fun but writing about it is hard work. For me, the hard work part is fun too but time consuming. I am amazed at how much time and energy is consumed by the process of traveling. However, I appreciate your honest and truthful approach about the nomadic way of life.

I recognize the first photo and can tell you where it was taken. It was nice to finally meet you in Vancouver!

haha, I had to ask James from NomadicNotes.com for that photo, I have so very few of me to use when the occasion (or the post) calls for it. Very glad I got to meet you at TBEX and will hopefully cross paths again soon somewhere!

Anil, we’ve has so many conversations about this recently – your post is rather timely. There is a balance that’s needed with the lifestyle we’ve chosen. Although one of the main reasons we do this is the love of travel, the trick is not to burn out on it so it becomes a “job” and you don’t appreciate and notice the little things about the place you’re visiting. I find that taking breaks in familiar places (e.g., Berlin like we are now) helps to refresh my observational skills and travel lust. And like you, we’re almost never writing about a place where we’re traveling through at that time – I admire people who are able to do that, but we are always “behind.” Gives us time to reflect and compare.

Regarding wifi/internet, I also feel like my dependence borders on unhealthy at times. But, until we can figure out a global plan that doesn’t cost a fortune, we have to plan our schedules like you – stay in places with wifi so we can get our house in order before we can go offline and enjoy the great outdoors or rural areas. But, the great thing is that we have the freedom to plan our schedules and what we do – that’s a great freedom most people don’t have with their regular jobs. It’s important not to forget that.

The breaks are essential – I often need to slow down somewhere to catch up on the things I tend to put off when my travel pace increases. Lately though I’ve been wondering how I can be more digitally efficient, funny as travelers we seem better that physical efficiency than the digital kind

I too feel my dependence to the Internet is unhealthy at times – I’m still waiting for the (fantasy) day when some company just blankets the world in free wifi. I’ve actually run all sorts of analysis to see how such a concept would be feasible and cost. Very nerdy I know!

Though the flip side is very important like you mention, it’s a rare state to be in and important to appreciate it. Especially considering many people around the world don’t have that opportunity – or even the opportunity to travel.

Now that I’ve met you at TBEX in person Anil, I can totally read this with your voice in mind. You have so many amazing stories to tell and I think it’s great that you are able to do what you love and survive. I think that all of us as travels and bloggers can learn a great deal from you (as can anyone that is just looking for an excuse to take the leap!).

Finally, a picture that actually looks like you. I have you in bokeh behind my japadog in Vancouver, but it’s not the same. You are very driven and focused, yet manage to seem calm on the outside, which is why people probably think you live a life of leisure, even though having seen you on the road, I know that’s not the case. I didn’t notice your footwear though. I’ll make a note of it the next time we cross paths. Which could be just about anywhere, I suppose.

and by in my neck of the woods, of course you mean northern south america, right? (which is still a day’s journey away, depending on where I’m going!

I shall take note of what’s on your feet and try hard not to show you up with my fresh footwear. We should talk logistics sometime! Enjoy Spain and please drink a cafe granizado for me if you can stand all the sugar. Talk soon!

Spain was really fun, can’t wait to go back in a few weeks; I think I ate and drank enough for a small army. Missed the cafe granizado this time due to bad wifi and lots of getting shuttled around, but writing it in my notebook for when I return.

and what about the Dutch and English speakers over there? Hope your trip is going well, let me know when we can talk possible dates/seasons for this. I know where you’ll be for your train thing, but who knows where after that. You know you can always come here to relax and recoup (we can cook!), but it’s not exactly around the corner (from almost anywhere, really).

I enjoy reading your blog a lot Anil and I know you work constantly to keep it updated. You put in many hours and I can tell you love what you are doing. That makes a big difference in any job. I am sure one day you’ll have a lot of breath-taking stories to tell to your kids if not the Swiss bank account! Maybe you’ll have both…

Your readers might be interested to know that it is possible to take the polar opposite route: be totally disconnected.

When I did a round-trip on the Continental Divide Trail, I spent 7 months in the woods. I would only see civilization about once every 4-5 days. I’d get on the Net for about 2 hours in a public library about once every two weeks.

Similarly, I’ve been writing my book in Eastern Europe, living in a sea house with no TV, radio, Net, car, or public transport. I would connect 1-2 per week for 1 hour. Granted, I was writing my 2nd book. I would write articles offline and post them once a week. I would schedule the posting of tweets and articles.

I’m sure I lose potential income, but I also enjoy being disconnected when I travel. However, I’m very happy that you point out that no matter how connected you are, it’s a job and demands some sacrifices. It’s not play all the time.

Francis I wonder how you do it though being offline sounds nice. I’m good with a few hours or a day here and there; yet the nerd in me loves being on a computer. It also allows me to connect frequently with my readers which I enjoy very much.

Amen to both of you! I suspect that our days (nay, WEEKS) on the train will be great for getting lots of work done….er….fueling the addiction (depending on how you look at it). And I’m expecting August to be a chaotic month of advance work and preparation for a very active month on the road.